


cough syrup

by enbyofdionysus



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Aromantic Jason, Asexual Jason, Asexual Percy, M/M, Queerplatonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 19:09:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10837563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enbyofdionysus/pseuds/enbyofdionysus
Summary: Jason had never had a crush before. Although, judging by the way Leo talked about Calypso and the way Piper talked about Annabeth, he wasn't really sure if he would call it a crush. An itch, maybe. A craving.





	cough syrup

Jason didn't want to be seventeen anymore.

Granted, he knew adulthood had its own challenges, but at least in the future he wouldn't have to worry about trying to get the attention of colleges for a football scholarship while maintaining a 4.0 GPA, or about getting a decent score on his SATs with his ADHD and Dyslexia messing with his head, or about trying to keep his dad off his back while his sister was in Boot Camp.

In the future, Jason wouldn't have to worry about Percy Jackson.

Percy Jackson was the president of the Oceanography Club, Co-Captain of the Swim Team, and had once gone to the principal's office for making a kid's nose bleed after he'd called his little brother a “retard.” He didn't do drugs or drink, didn't actively skip classes or do poorly on papers, but he had a mouth cutting enough that he may as well have. His skin was the color of California sand, his eyes the color of palm trees; Jason felt at home gazing into his warm face.

Jason had never had a crush before. Although, judging by the way Leo talked about Calypso and the way Piper talked about Annabeth, he wasn't really sure if he would call it a crush. An itch, maybe. A craving.

Jason didn't want to be under Percy the way Nico wanted to be under Will. He didn't want to kiss Percy the way Frank wanted to kiss Hazel.

Jason wanted Percy to look at him.

He wanted Percy to laugh at his jokes, to throw himself into his lap like his friends did with their boyfriends and girlfriends. He wanted to smell the sandalwood cologne on the shoulder of Percy's blue sweatshirt. He wanted to hear Percy talk about coral reefs and pollution, about shark fin soup and whales. He wanted to get coffee with him on rainy days and watch Hallmark movies on Valentine's Day. He wanted to throw footballs with him in the backyard of his house, to have meaningless conversations, to have meaningful conversations, to hold hands.

The last of those wants made him fidget the most – Percy's hands were a soft-looking, canyon brown with nails bitten down to the quick, cuticles mutilated by teeth in anxiety. Jason wanted, more than anything else, to reach across and slide his fingers between Percy's and press their hands together palm to palm.

But Percy didn't even know he existed.

Granted, they sat next to each other in Biology but either than that they may as well have been on two separate planets. But that was fine with Jason. It was better, he thought, to go on being invisible than to embarrass himself.

And so he decided to never tell him.

But what we decide and what we actually do is sometimes out of our hands.

In Jason's case, it was in Percy's.

 

Jason was not overly fond of dances, but Leo had insisted that if he and Piper didn't go together as a trio – even if Leo and Piper both had dates – then they would be missing out on their last big hurrah as Seniors.

And so there Jason was, standing by the punch table in a trim, black suit and silver tie watching Leo make a fool of himself on the dance floor to Nicki Minaj, bass thumping heavily, only to have his shoulder abruptly gripped from behind.

Even before he turned, Jason would have known that sandalwood cologne anywhere.

“Hey, man,” Percy said awkwardly. He looked flushed despite the fact that he hadn't been dancing and his suit jacket had been abandoned somewhere leaving him in a blue button-down with the sleeves rolled to the elbows. Jason tried to swallow. “Do you think you could do me a huge favor?”

Jason's eyes flickered from Percy's to the punch bowl and back again. “Oh, sure,” he said and hurriedly made to hand him a cup. He hadn't realized he'd been taking up so much room–

“No, I,” Percy stammered and Jason suddenly realized he'd never seen Percy this way: flustered, blushing, embarrassed. _Oh, shit,_ part of him thought. _He noticed you in Biology. He noticed you on the Football field. He's going to ask you to dance._ “Can you pretend to be my boyfriend for a minute?”

Jason's heart fell from his throat to his stomach. He croaked, “What?”

“I'm sorry,” Percy said and went to run his hand through his hair before seeming to remember he had gel in his curls because he stopped half-way and wiped his hand on his pant-leg instead. “I know you're not even gay but–” Not even _gay?_ “–I recently broke up with my boyfriend and he brought this really hot guy and I just... I know you don't really know me. We're in Biology together? And uh. Please, this would really mean– I know it's petty, but you're really cute and I just. I'm sorry.”

Jason strangled his pride. He shrugged casually. “Sure,” he said, “I'll pretend to be your boyfriend.”

Percy immediately sagged with relief. “Thanks, man,” he said, “that really means– Here, uh, hold my hand. Sorry, I'm sweaty.”

“It's fine,” Jason assured him.

Percy's hand _was_ sweaty, but it was also warm and soft and firm. Jason's skin was on fire. He was never going to be able to sleep again.

“That's him,” Percy muttered.

Jason swallowed and followed Percy's line of sight to a tall, blond guy heading toward the punch table. He was lithe, but even in a gray suit Jason could tell by the width of his shoulders that he was strong. The nearer he got the more details Jason noticed: sharp cheekbones, a sharper jaw, and friendly eyes marred by a scar. It was the scar that struck Jason's memory – it was Luke Castellan, former Captain of the Jupiter Swim Team.

On Luke's arm was a guy with tousled dark hair and an eye-patch. He wore a black suit with a boutonniere of a white rose that matched Luke's. He was, as Percy had described, very attractive but, while Percy fidgeted beside Jason, the dark-haired boy looked bored, his hand in Luke's something practiced rather than tender. For a brief moment Jason was reminded of Nico.

And then Luke was in front of them.

Up close, he was intimidating, but not in a frightening way. He offered a smile that put Jason at ease, his eyes mischievous, but kind. “Hey, Percy,” he greeted and then his blue eyes curiously found Jason's. “And, uh?”

“Jason,” Percy blurted before Jason could even open his mouth. “This is Jason.” And then he rolled his shoulders back and added, “My boyfriend.”

Jason waited for the stereotypical reaction: an awkward frown, a slight dip in the eyebrows, an uncomfortable smile – any subtle sign of jealousy. But instead, Luke's eyebrows went up in what appeared to be delighted surprise.

“Boyfriend, huh?” Luke said. The boy on his arm had pulled out his phone and had begun to scroll through Instagram. “I'm happy for you. I was really worried after we broke up – your mom told me you hadn't been eating.”

Percy's fingers clenched in Jason's hand. He gave an easy laugh that would have fooled Jason hadn't he known better. “That was because of a competition. You know how I get before a meet.”

Luke laughed just as easily, if not more so. It was an attractive sound. “Well, I'm glad,” he said. “I'll see you around, okay?” He brought his fist up and gently nudged Percy's shoulder, then held it out for Jason to bump. Jason did. “Nice to meet you, man.”

“You too,” Jason said. And it was true: Luke was a legend at Jupiter High School even after having graduated two years ago. He hadn't even known he and Percy had been dating.

Luke turned and left, giving a playful hip-bump to his date as they headed back to the dance floor, and Jason waited for Percy to let go of his hand. When he didn't, Jason looked up.

And was taken aback to see Percy's eyes were wet.

Stunned, Jason watched as his lower lip trembled, his jaw tense. Jason had never seen Percy cry before. From laughter, yes, but like this? Never. It was strange, like seeing an unhappy Labrador. Hesitant, he asked, “Percy?”

As if broken from a spell, Percy turned his face away and yanked his hand from Jason's. “Thanks,” he said stiffly. He swiped the heel of his hand across his eyes. “I owe you one.”

Jason opened his mouth to reply, his hand reaching back out for Percy's, but Percy had already begun to walk away back toward the exit of the ballroom. For a moment, Jason did nothing but follow him with his eyes. There was something surreal in seeing Percy's shoulders slumped, his head drawn downward – Jason's chest tightened.

And so he chased after him.

 

When Jason managed to make his way outside, he found Percy leaning against the wall of the hotel in which their dance was hosted. The night was chilly and the air thick with the promise of rain. City-goers passed by without care – some with phones, some with dogs.

Percy stood a little ways out of the building's outside light, his suit-jacket hugged to his chest and tie undone. Jason took a slow, shuttering breath and carefully approached him.

“Hey,” he said when came within earshot.

Percy said nothing, staring at the ground.

“This is probably a dumb question,” said Jason quietly, “but are you okay?”

Percy shifted his eyes to Jason's and held them. Jason shifted uncomfortably under the weight of his gaze. Finally, when Percy stared back out into the slow bustle of the city, still without having said a word, Jason simply leaned against the side of the hotel beside him.

Together they listened as the rain began to fall, droplets at first and then a gradual _pitter-patter_. Jason heard Percy sniff. This time, he didn't look. Instead, he let his hand drift off to his right, toward Percy, and hang there in the air – hesitant, patient, silent.

When nothing happened for a moment Jason kicked himself for being so bold.

And then there was the warmth of Percy's fingers, the smooth lines of his palm.

Percy gave a wetter sniff.

Jason squeezed his hand.

Percy squeezed back.

They watched the rain.

“If it's any consolation,” Jason said eventually, “you deserve better.”

Percy snorted. He said, “Sure.”

“No, really,” Jason argued. “You do.”

“You don't know anything about me.”

“I know you drink Starbucks every morning except Wednesdays,” Jason insisted. “And that you tried to start a boycott of that shark movie last summer. And that you have a pin-and-poke trident tattoo on your ankle that your mom doesn't know about. And that you're really smart even though your grades are shit. And I know you're actually bored with the swim team, that you just do it for the sake of a scholarship.”

Percy's eyebrows had furrowed. He studied Jason for a long, agonizing moment. Then, “You know _about_ me, but you don't _know_ me.”

“No,” Jason agreed, “but...” He licked his lips, his heart beating too fast. “I'd like to.”

Percy sighed and looked away. His ears were pink despite the disappointment in his eyes. “I like you, Jason,” he said and Jason nearly fell against the wall. “But in case you didn't notice, I'm not really looking for anyone right now. Luke,” and he said the name with strangled emotion, “took a lot out of me and I'm not really prepared for–”

“I don't want to date you,” Jason hurried to say. At Percy's disbelieving glance, he shook his head earnestly. “I don't. I mean, don't get me wrong, you're a great guy, it's just that I don't... I can't...” Words failed him, but still Jason grasped at them desperately. “I don't... date. Anyone.”

“Why?” Percy asked.

Jason gestured around himself. “It makes me nervous and not in a good way. I don't kiss anybody. I don't want to. It just.” He refused to let himself feel insecure about it. Firmly, he said, “It's just not who I am.”

Percy stared at him. Jason thought he was going to give a solemn nod of acceptance or question him further. Instead, he said, “Luke broke up with me because I wouldn't have sex with him.”

Jason blanched.

“He made me happy,” Percy said. “I wanted to make him happy. We made out a few times and a few times he tried, but I was too anxious. A couple of weeks ago I let him fuck me because he'd been talking about how we were two different people and I wanted to convince him we weren't.”

It was Jason's turn to stare.

Percy turned his body so he was still on the wall, but facing Jason. He said, “I know History's your favorite subject and that you're using your football skills just to get a scholarship, too. I know you're good at debating and can play chess. I know you don't drink because of your mom. And I know you wear contacts.”

Jason blinked. His face warmed.

“If you don't want to date,” Percy asked, “what do you want from me?”

Jason swallowed. He shrugged, but Percy's eyes were too heavy on him to try for casualty. “Holding your hand was nice,” he said, albeit shakily. “And I like hearing you talk.”

There was silence as Percy thought. And then he pushed himself from the wall and slid his hand into Jason's as if they had been friends for years. “How about,” he said, “you tell me about Hannibal of Carthage instead.”

And that was it: Jason was never going to breathe again.

They left the prom for a small cafe, Jason talking Roman military history the entire way and Percy intently listening, his hand like a warm anchor between his fingers. And it was this, Jason realized. This: Percy's eyes lighting up when he caught a joke; Percy's loud, infectious laugh; Percy's strong, confident shoulders and the wickedness of his smile. All of this without the burden of expectation – that was what Jason had wanted from Percy.

Jason wanted to be seventeen forever.

 


End file.
